‘MacGyver’ & ‘Magnum P.I.’ EP Peter Lenkov Fired By CBS

Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
·3 min read

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CBS Television Studios has parted ways with one of the top showrunners on its roster, Peter Lenkov. He has been fired from the two series he developed, executive produced and showran, CBS’ MacGyver and Magnum P.I. His overall deal with the studio also has been terminated.

We hear the decision came this week, following an investigation into a complaint about a toxic environment on MacGyver. According to sources, the investigation spanned a couple of weeks and wrapped over the July 4 holiday weekend. We hear that over his long tenure at CBS TV Studios, Lenkov had been the subject of two previous investigations into misconduct allegations.

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In light of Lenkov’s departure, MacGyver executive producer Monica Macer will run that series; Magnum P.I. exec producer Eric Guggenheim has been named showrunner on it.

“Peter Lenkov is no longer the executive producer overseeing MacGyver and Magnum P.I., and the Studio has ended its relationship with him,” a spokeperson for the station said in a statement. “Our Studio is committed to ensuring safe and respectful production environments. Over the past year, we have assigned human resource production partners to every show, expanded staff training and increased reporting options. We will continue to evolve our practices with continued focus on building trust with all who work on our sets. Every complaint is taken seriously, every claim is investigated, and when evidence is clear that policies were violated and values not upheld, we take decisive action.”

Lenkov was let go with a year left on his overall deal with CBS TV Studios, which produces MacGyver and Magnum P.I. Lenkov had been based at the studio for more than a decade and has been the studio’s go-to writer-producer for procedural reboots having successfully brought back Hawaii Five-0, MacGyver and Magnum P.I.

“Now is the time to listen and I am listening. It’s difficult to hear that the working environment I ran was not the working environment my colleagues deserved, and for that, I am deeply sorry,” Lenkov said in a statement. “I accept responsibility for what I am hearing and am committed to doing the work that is required to do better and be better.”

Other CBS Studios-based showrunners who have been let go following investigations into misconduct allegations include NCIS: New Orleans’ Brad Kern and SEAL Team‘s John Glenn.

 

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